5 pieces of technology to keep seniors safe, healthy, and independent

Just because seniors didn’t grow up with an array of technology at their fingertips doesn’t mean they can’t benefit from modern apps, gadgets, and devices.(Photo: Courtesy Good Samaritan Fort Collins Village)

Just because seniors didn’t grow up with an array of technology at their fingertips doesn’t mean they can’t benefit from modern apps, gadgets, and devices. In fact, there are a number of products that can help aging adults maintain their health, independence, and quality of life. Here are some of our favorites.

Electronic Reminders

A variety of gadgets can help users keep track of obligations, medications, doctors appointments, and social engagements. Many of these products were inspired by the particular needs of individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, but the benefits extend to just about anybody.

MedMinder makes several timed pill dispensers that can be set up by patients or their caregivers and linked to systems that track adherence or connect remotely to Medical Alert professionals.

Using voice-activated technology, ReminderRosie helps seniors stick to their routines. The mostly hands-free device can hold up to 25 reminders per day, so it can be used to prompt everything from walking the dog to meeting a loved-one for lunch.

Smart Home Devices

Home automation devices allow individuals to control a range of appliances — from windows to clocks, from speakers to the hot water heater — via the internet. The ability to control so many household items with a simple voice command or the push of a button can be liberating for individuals who want to age in place.

Different systems offer distinct benefits. Google Home and Amazon’s Echo and Alexa serve as voice assisted programs that can manage many aspects of home life, from ordering paper towels to locking doors. Other systems and devices tend to be more specialized and include systems that control home security, temperature, lighting, and more.

Smart Watches

Smart watches can help seniors monitor their health just as many ways. From fitness-focused movement trackers to devices that link up with remote medical professionals, there are options to fit most needs and lifestyles.

Devices like the Lively Safety Watch and Fitbit promote an active lifestyle by tracking activity levels and vital fitness signs, such as heart rate and blood pressure. Other products are more safety-centric. For example, Omate makes several watches that feature SOS buttons and GPS software so friends and family can keep track of their loved-one’s location. CarePredict’s Tempo homes in on the wearer’s regular patterns, learning typical activities. If the program identifies changes that could signify a health concern, an alert is sent to a health provider or family member.

Medical Alert Systems

Probably the most familiar piece of technology that can benefit seniors is a medical alert, or emergency response, system which ensures a loved-one living alone can get help in a medical emergency. As technology has advanced, so have the options available. The iconic push-button one-way alert systems designed to be worn around the neck still exist, but now there are also devices that allow two-way communication with call centers, pendants that can detect a fall, and much more.

Philips Lifeline’s technologies combine fall detection and tracking software to ensure a timely and accurate response even in the most dire of circumstances. And plans can be personalized, so families get to decide who to notify — whether a neighbor, emergency services, or caregiver. MobileHelp offers a range of cellular-linked products, both mountable in the home and wearable for individuals on the go.

Robot Housekeeping

Keeping an organized and clean home can be increasingly difficult, though no less important, as we age. Often this can be a big barrier to aging in place. Fortunately, robotic housekeeping assistance is no longer stuck in the realm of science fiction.

The company iRobot has a range of products that can help seniors keep their homes spic and span, including its popular Roomba vacuums and Braava mops. At the more advanced end of the spectrum, Maidbot, a prototype robotic maid being marketed to the hospitality industry, may one day take care of all of a household’s daily cleaning and decluttering tasks, from vacuuming to getting the bed’s hospital corners just right.

With so many more products on the market than in the past, choosing the best one can be daunting. Do you want something wearable? Can family members connect to the device? Do you need daily check-in services or just fall detection? Is it better to connect to a mobile network or a landline? Fortunately, AARP provides this list of factors to consider when choosing the best device for your family’s needs.

Members of the editorial and news staff of the USA Today Network were not involved in the creation of this content.